World News Quick Take

Agencies

CHINA

Bigger soldiers squeezed

People’s Liberation Army soldiers have become so much taller and fatter in recent years that they often find themselves cramped in tanks designed three decades ago, the military’s PLA Daily reported on Tuesday. A survey found that soldiers were on average 2cm taller and 5cm fatter around the waist than 20 years ago, the newspaper said. As a result, it is harder for soldiers to squeeze into a tank designed for smaller personnel 30 years ago, it said. Rifle stocks are also too short for some, limiting their accuracy, it added. The findings of the survey, which began in 2009, suggested an upgrade to the military’s equipment was necessary, the newspaper said.

FIJI

Officials battle dengue fever

The Pacific island nation is grappling with its worst outbreak of dengue fever in 16 years, but authorities say tourists face little risk. Health officials yesterday said there have been 2,589 confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne virus since the outbreak began in November last year. Two males, aged 17 and 35, have died. Authorities have been spraying insecticide across the country and have started a public health campaign to remind people to clean out water containers. Most cases have been reported near the capital, Suva, and in inland areas. There have been no outbreaks around the major resorts in the country.

CHINA

Officials under investigation

Hainan Province Vice Governor Ji Wenlin (冀文林) is under investigation for serious violations, the Chinese Communist Party’s disciplinary body said yesterday. In a one-line statement, it said that Ji is suspected of serious violations of regulations and the law, but gave no details. The party also announced that Zhu Zuoli (祝作利), vice chairman of the top political advisory body of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Shaanxi Province, is also under investigation for serious violations of party disciplines and laws. Ji has personal and professional connections to former security boss Zhou Yongkang (周永康), who himself is the subject of a rumored investigation. Yesterday’s announcement is the latest sign of moves against Zhou, who amassed huge power before he retired from the Politburo Standing Committee in late 2012.

INDIA

State leader quits in protest

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy quit yesterday in protest at a contentious bill to split his state in two, a plan which triggered chaotic scenes in parliament. Lawmakers in the lower house on Tuesday passed the bill to carve a new state called Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh, amid an uproar from opposing MPs that saw a blackout of televised proceedings. Reddy slammed as shameful lawmakers’ behavior in pushing through the bill without proper debate, and also attacked the decision to cut the live TV feed during the vote. MPs were “robbers, hiding from people, putting off TV, throwing out those who were objecting,” Reddy was quoted as saying by NDTV.

NEW ZEALAND

Raid on Dotcom ruled legal

An appeals court yesterday ruled that police acted legally when armed officers raided Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom’s Auckland mansion as part of a US-led online piracy probe. The decision overturned an earlier finding that the January 2012 dawn raid was unlawful because the search warrants police used were too broad to be considered reasonable.